The General Prosecutor’s Office informed on Wednesday it had kicked off checks after chairman of Social Democrat Party Liviu Dragnea’s allegations about the head of the Protection and Guard Service (SPP), Lucian Pahontu. Dragnea said that a friend of deputy PM Paul Stanescu had been sent by the SPP chief to tell Stanescu that Dragnea would be soon “executed”.
Dragnea told Antena 3 private broadcaster on Monday evening that Pahontu “has been involved in the Tudose Government more than it’s necessary”. Dragnea even claimed that Pahontu would have told Paul Stanescu (deputy PM) that Dragnea would be “executed” “somewhere in March”.
“Mr. Paul Stanescu was told that I would be executed somewhere in March and he (Stanescu) can be the PSD chairman. Maybe the same thing has been told to Grindeanu, Tudose, I don’t know,” Dragnea said.
Dragnea attacked Pahontu before, accusing last year the SPP head is trying to recruit PSD members, calling him “the postman from Cotroceni”, or “a poisonous character”.
Moreover, deputy PM Paul Stanescu has confirmed on Wednesday that SPP director Lucian Pahontu had informed him “through a friend” that it would be better he collaborates for he will benefit of protection, as Liviu Dragnea will be executed by March the latest and that he might eventually take over the party’s helm.
Stanescu said he had told Pahontu, through the same friend, that the SPP head had mistaken the address.
“I said: please tell him (Pahontu) that he has completely mistaken the address. I don’t know who is Pahontu, never met him in my life. I have never thought of taking over the party. I don’t think SPP is to blame here, but certain people are and it’s unforgivable something like that should be told, I was deputy PM, this means a serious attempt against democracy,” Stanescu added.
On the other hand, the chairman of the SRI committee in Parliament, Social-Democrat Claudiu Manda, said on Wednesday that an inquiry committee on SPP might be set up. Manda also announced that the committee he is chairing would also discuss about an alleged intelligence service that would have existed within SPP, an information based on a letter sent by NGO activist Alina Mungiu Pippidi.